GL: You recently stopped Luan Krasniqi in Germany to become the WBO's manadatory challenger. I'm sure you're aware of the WBA heavyweight champion, Ruslan Chagaev, pulling out of the unification bout with Ibragimov and I'm also pretty sure you're disappointed that Evander Holyfied is getting the shot instead of you. Can you share some thoughts on that? Nate Peakes: "We understand the rules and we understand what he's doing. He is up for a voluntary defense and he chose Holyfield. We have no problem with that because he's accomplished a lot and we wish him the best. Our problem is Ibragimov. He was building up for the unification and we were for that because it makes it easier for Tony to get two belts at one time. With the WBA champion, whatever his name is, pulling out and us being mandatory, we feel like Ibragimov should have fought us like he said he would on Boxingtalk."

Tony Thompson: "He talked real big like it was going to happen. Then it was supposed to be unification and I was cool with that, but now to fight somebody that's not even in the top five when he has a real mandatory challenger sitting and waiting. I've done everything the WBO has asked me to do and I'm looking forward to become the WBO heavyweight champion. He's probably running scared because he knows he only has one defense in him. Whether it be Holyfield or me, he's probably going to get beaten the first time he steps into the ring with a real fighter."

GL: Although you want to fight Ibragimov, if Holyfield were to win wouldn't a fight between you and Holyfield be bigger than Ibragimov?

Tony Thompson: "It could be, but right now our ultimate goal is to become the WBO heavyweight champion of the world and we're going to unify. You line them up and I'm going to knock them down. If I keep doing what I've been doing last six years and that's winning, I'm going to go out there and become the WBO heavyweight champion of the world and go after the rest of the so-called champions of the world. I'm going to get this belt and I'm not going to be a sorry ass champ like Ibragimov."

GL: Do you plan on fighting again before your mandatory is enforced?

Nate Peakes: "We plan on having a fight to keep Tony sharp and we're willing to fight anyone. Tony knows what he can do and he knows nobody can beat him. We're looking at something here in D.C. before the end of October. We're hoping that the winner of this October 13 fight does the right thing and makes the mandatory defense against the top contender. We don't know what Klitschko is doing. They got an IBF tournament going on and he's going have some free time on his hands and wants to do something against a real contender, let's make something happen."

TT: "These guys are running scared. Everybody in this division knows I can beat them, they're just trying to cash in before they take this ass whipping."

GL: How does a fight with you and Wladimir Klitschko play out?

TT: "I wear him down and stop him late, or I stop him early. But I definitely stop him. Krasniqi was a great fighter and I took nothing away from him and I'm going to say the same thing about Klitschko because I want to continue to surprise people by how easy I beat these guys who are supposed to be for real. There hasn't been no controversy to my fights lately, you can't give guys rounds and the same thing would happen to Klitschko."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?
 
TT: "Keep supporting me. Like I told everybody when I started this, me and my team are going to make this happen. I want everyone to come out and support me because right now I'm the top heavyweight in America."

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